Insatiable Exploring
by Jassmine de Blanc
Summary: He is a natural explorer and his thirst for knowledge is insatiable. A glimpse into Daniel's life on Abydos.


_This is my second Word a month fic, written for October's word "Insatiable". Many, many thanks to Stonedtoad for the beta, and also to L. E McMurray for posting the challenge on HRA and for choosing such a beautiful and highly inspiring word...!_

_Enjoy people, and please don't forget to review - I'd love to know what you think about my story:)_

* * *

She watched him in wonder, careful not to disturb him from what he was doing. Her eyes lingered lovingly on him as he continued to copy the symbols in his notebook, translating them in the same time.

In the middle of the dark caves the torch barely gave enough light for him to read, but he continued his work nevertheless. His fair hair seemed golden in that light and Sha're couldn't help but be amazed just how handsome her husband was, and how much she loved him. She could stay like that forever, looking at him working, fascinated by his fascination with the mysterious inscriptions…

He never seemed to have enough of exploring the caves, always searching for whatever knowledge might there be hidden on the walls. She loved him for this, for his insatiable thirst for knowledge, for his everlasting desire to learn more and more, for his enormous ambition to discover the lost legacy of her people. This was what charmed her from that first night spent together in the secret caves, and this was what made her love for him grow with every second she spent watching him being the same enthusiastic scholar she had fallen for.

Ever since he had found what he called the "Cartouche Room", he would come here every day; reading, translating, formulating theories, writing conclusions in his journal, tirelessly working for hours and completely forgetting there was anything else in the world.

That was where Sha're used to come in, making sure he ate, drank and didn't work himself to death. She adored seeing him working, but she did realise the dangers of her beloved Dan'iel being totally absorbed in his translations. It was a lesson she learnt a couple of weeks before, when he got lost in his work and hadn't returned home for two days. Sha're smiled, remembering their very first fight. But how on Abydos not to forgive him when he looked in her eyes with deep regret, sincerely saying how sorry he was? After crying her worries in his arms, she had made him promise it wouldn't happen again, but she knew she had to ensure he kept that promise…

Quietly, she left her shadowy corner and slowly moved towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder to let him know she was there. Daniel didn't say anything, but instead took her hand and gently kissed it, his eyes still fixed on a specific part of the inscriptions. He knew she would be there, and her discreet, unseen presence was comfortable and inspiring.

"This is getting more and more fascinating with every symbol I translate," he told her as she sat by his side, examining the writings herself. "My love, it's fantastic," he went on, his long, delicate fingers touching the wall as if it were sacred, "to know that many centuries ago, people wrote this for us to discover today..."

She caressed his face, moving a golden lock of hair away from his eyes and enjoying his closeness. "It's like a bond, linking us with the ancestors long dead…" he whispered and for the first time since she was there, looked directly at her. Their eyes connected and for a long moment neither spoke anything. Sha're understood him, and what she saw in his eyes was just another proof: this was an extraordinary man, a natural explorer tormented by the lust for knowledge. And this extraordinary man was hers…

She closed her eyes with pleasure as he moved closer and gently kissed her neck, very softly going upwards; finally, their lips met, and the sweet long kiss was a promise of the passion soon to be unleashed.

"Let's go home now, my Dan'iel", she suggested after they had parted. "You know you can come back tomorrow, you have all the time in the world to explore this."

"I don't think forever could be enough to finish the research… If it were up to me, I'd spend my lifetime here…" he laughed, standing and helping her rise.

"You're hopeless!" she smiled and, taking his hand, guided him to the exit of the caves, knowing that this was precisely why she loved him so much.

* * *

They were alone in the boundless desert, walking hand in hand to reach their home. All around them, the dunes looked golden in the light of the enormous setting sun; the view was magnificent, and magnificent was the woman besides him.

"I love you, Sha're", he said in the end. "And I love this whole place… the sands, the people, the civilisation… I love it all…"

She just smiled, knowing that the insatiable thirst for learning included every single aspect of life. Everything was fascinating for him and he always wanted to know everything about their society, about their customs and traditions. For this, he did all in his power to experience as many aspects of Abydonian life as he could: he visited each separate street of Nagada, took part in every meeting of the Elders, went to the mines for a couple of times to learn the complete process of collecting naqahdah, even crossed the dessert once with a trading caravan to one of the other cities. That week without him was permanent agony for Sha're, but she knew that her husband needed to learn everything, and she couldn't and wouldn't stop him. She could still remember the desperate kiss they had shared when he had returned… Having him back had been relieving, but even better had been to see the satisfaction in his eyes and to know that he had been able to find out more… even if, no matter how much he learnt, it was never enough.

She turned her head to see him studying the breathtaking scenery and absorbing the beauty of the landscapes. How could she not love this great man?

* * *

He watched her in wonder, hardly believing just how blessed his life was with this extraordinarily beautiful woman. Sha're wasn't only incredibly attractive, but also extremely intelligent and kind. But the fact that Daniel appreciated the most was her ability to understand him like nobody ever had, realising he was sick for knowledge and loving him as he was. His eyes lingered lovingly on her as she continued to brush her freshly washed hair, readying herself for bed. Her body was covered only by some kind of towel and he was incapable of paying any attention to his journal any more. Waiting for her to finish her bath, he had organised the translations of today; he had a slim guess that the symbols on the other wall were Gate addresses, so he looked for evidence in the inscriptions. But that could wait. Now, the only thing that really mattered was his wife. He couldn't get enough of looking at her like that, and felt that forever wouldn't be enough to love her.

Sha're was perfectly aware that her husband was watching her, and was enjoying the deep effect she knew her almost naked body was doing to his senses. Deciding he was already too aroused, she put the comb down, and looked at him in a clearly inviting way.

Her teasing smile instantly sent shivers down the man's spine, so he came to her, caressing her check while she run her fingers through his own wet hair. Slowly, he initiated a tender kiss that soon become deeper and deeper. She pulled him closer, she herself longing for his presence. Daniel's lips then started to descent down her neck and Sha're, eyes closed, bent her head backwards to allow him full access. A small, almost imperceptible sight escaped her lips at the hot touch of his mouth on her skin. But Daniel noticed it, as he felt the same indescribable sensation. It was much more than physical pleasure, it was a complete and utter love, the satisfaction of giving your body and your soul to the person you adored. He ached for her and wished those moments would last forever. And this thirst of having and giving was insatiable as well…

"Oh, Sha're, Sha're, my Sha're…" he murmured between passionate kisses, deeply savouring the aroma of her hair… Her presence in his arms was so overwhelming, that he found it hard to believe it wasn't just a dream. But she was as real as she could be – and she was his, all his…

Daniel drove them both to the bed; her hands moved under his robes, undressing him while he, too, let the towel fall, revealing her splendid curves. He laid her down, pressing his body on hers as she whispered words of love into his ear. Slowly, but with more passion than imaginable, his hands moved over her, exploring every inch of her soft golden skin.

He couldn't get enough of her – admiring her unspoken beauty, hearing her soft voice screaming his name in ecstasy, inhaling, tasting, touching… feeling her with every part of him… until that sublime moment when he would loose himself completely in her… Every time they were together, he discovered and rediscovered her again and again. Even making love with his wife meant exploring for Daniel, and in a way… it was another side of his insatiable thirst for knowing…

Forgotten in the other corner of the small tent, the still opened journal was waiting patiently for the morning to come, and for its owner to resume his other great passion, while the boundless desert surrounded everything, enormous like Daniel's insatiable thirst of exploring…

THE END


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